SF 253 
.E93 
1918 
Copy 1 



■H^UOMHW 



PRACTICAL 
MILK TESTING 

FOR DAIRYMEN 




COMPLIMENTS OF 

SUPPLEE-WILLS-JOP^ES MILK COMPANY 

Philadelphia, Pa. 



MAR 12 1918 




CHATILLOM 5 

IMPROVED CIRCULAR 

C.FRirlG BALANCE. 

TO WTIGM 601b 





PRACTICAL 
MILK TESTING 



—FOR— 



DAIRYMEN 






'BY 

W.^E. EVANS 

Consulting Farm Manager 

Neffsville, 

I>ancastei Co., Pa. 



Revised Edition 

Copyright 1918 by 

W. E. EVANS 



PART I. 



EXPLANATION OF JIILK PRODICTION. 



'l^ 



<P 




Figr. 1 

Diagram of Udder 



COW is essentially a manufacturing plant into which is put feed 
in the shape of hay, grain, silage and water and in return we get 
milk, a calf and a by-product known as manure or stable dressing. 

The udder is a very high- 
ly specialized machine in this 
factory composed of glands, 
blood vessels, cells and canals 
which work over a raw ma- 
terial called blood and change 
it into a fluid called milk. 
The quantity of milk pro- 
duced is determined by the 
quality and amount of rich 
blood as a raw material and 
the efliciency of the machine 
called the udder to produce 
milk. The quality of the 
blood is influenced by the 
general health of the cow and 
the quantity of the blood is determined by the effective work of the diges- 
tive system. 

Therefore in selecting a cow it is essential to note the general health, 
the size of her digestive capacity, usually determined by the size of her 
barrel or girth and her udder development, noting especially the size of 
her milk veins. But after all, the supreme test of a cow's ability to pro- 
duce milk is to sit under her, milk her, and then weigh and test her milk 
to find out the quantity and quality of her output. 

PRACTICAL MILK TESTING 

CAUSES FOR WHIATIONS 1\ BUTTER FAT TESTS. 

Introduction. — One of the most common causes of dissatisfaction . 
among dairymen and unpleasant embarrnssment to purchasers is the 
variation in the butter fat test. A dairyman naturally comes to the con- 
clusion that milk or cream from the same cows, fed the same ration, 
pastured in the same fields, stabled in the same building, milked by the 
same man who used the same separator, should test or show the same 
percentage of butter fat. When he receives his check and notices that 
the test is lower than for the same month of the previous year or even 
for the preceding month of the same year, he feels that his test is incor- 
rect to say the least and more than one farmer has been known to remark 
that the dealers were cheating him. 

Causes of Variations. — The percentage of fat in normal milk varies a 
great deal; however, the fat content very seldom falls below 2.6 per cent. 
or rises above 7.^ per cent. The percentage of fat in the milk from a 

©CI.A492528 

• 2 



^Vr, I 



whole herd of cows varies within comparatively narrow limits during the 
year, seldom exceeding .5 or .6 of a per cent. (Dairymen usually speak 
of this as a 5 or 6 point variation while in reality it is only five-tenths of 
a per cent.) 

CAUSES FOR VARIATIONS IN BUTTER FAT TEST. 

1. THE BREED. — One of the main differences betw^een animals of dif- 
ferent breeds is the wide range in the butter fat test. Jerseys are 
proverbially high testers, often going as high as 4 per cent, more than a 
low testing Holstein. (Dairymen would commonly speak of this differ- 
ence as 40 points, a point being taken as one-tenth of one per cent.) 
Guernseys and Ayrshires test lower than .Jerseys but higher than Hol- 
steins. 

2. THE LNDIVIDUAL TENDENCY.— By careful breeding certain in- 
dividuals have been developed so that they test much higher than the 
average of her breed. There is no doubt that there are some Gu Tnseys 
or even a few Holsteins which are very high testers, even to the extent of 
being better testers than the average Jersey cows and this is essentially the 
hope of the dairyman. He can breed his cows to ppotluce more butter fat. 

3. THE AGE OF THE COW.— All other conditions being the same, a 
young heifer, during her first milking period will usually give a higher 
testing milk than she will at the succeeding lactation period. The quan- 
tity, however, is smaller during the first period than after her second 
calf. 

4. THE TIME BETWEEN MILKINGS.— During the summer months 
the cows are often milked at 4 o'clock in the morning and 6 o'clock at 
night. The time between morning and night's milking is 14 hours, while 
between the night and morning's milking is only 10 hours. In this case 
the quantity of milk at the nighfs milking will be greater than the quan- 
tity in the morning, but the morning test -will be more than the evening 
test. In winter time this is often reversed, so that the evening test 
will be the larger, but the quantity will be less. It also often happens 
that some cows give a higher testing milk in the morning and some give 
a higher test in the evening, irrespective of the fact that they are 
milked at regular intervals of 12 hours each. This variation between 
morning and evening's milk will often be as much as 5 pomts 'five-tenths 
of a per cent.) 

Table sbowuuj the variations in butttT fat test between niorniiuj and 
night tests, nil other conditions beinrj equal so far as eould be determined: 





June 20, 


1917 


June 21 


1917 


June 22. 1917 




Morning 


Night 


Morning 


Night 


Morning 


Nigh 


I^essie 


2.9 


2.9 


3.2 


3.0 


3.1 


3.2 


Glory 


3.3 


3.6 


3.2 


3.6 


3.3 


3.7 


lane 


3.8 


3.8 


3.9 


4.1 


3.9 


3.9 


Goldie 


3.9 


4.2 


3.7 


3.5 


4.3 


4.1 


Jennie 


2.9 


3.2 


3.4 


3.1 


3.0 


3.2 


Beauty 


2.8 


3.1 


3.4 


3.2 


3.0 


3.5 


Queen 


3.7 


3.5 


3.6 


3.6 


3.8 


3.3 



3 



Fair weather, even temperature. Cows in pasture day and night, 
fliows were milked at 5 a. m. and 5 p. m. Cows were all Holsteins. Bes- 
sie. Jennie and Beauty had freshened during the first week of June: 
Goldie and Queen, during second week in April; Jane, during the last week 
of March, and Glory, during the second week in June. 

5. CHA.\GE OF MILIiERS OR SURROUNDINGS.— Just as hens n> 
about in a frightened manner and temporarily stop laying w hen a stran- 
ger is taking care of them or they are placed in a strange house, so a cow 
often appreciably falls off in her milk production and test when taken to 
another barn or when milked by a stranger. Some cows will not allow a 
stranger to milk them. One of the important factors of dairying is the 
confidence a cow has in hpr regular attendant. Any change is sure to be 
noticed in the pail. 

t) LENGTH OF TIME SINCE COW HAS FRESHENED.— A cow us- 
ually gives the largest number of pounds and a lower test just after 
freshening. As her milking period advances she gives less milk, until 
she finally is dry, but her test increases as she approaches her dry period; 
however, if the cow has taken on any fat just before calving she will give 
a high testing milk for three or four weeks at the beginning of her lac- 
tation period, after which the test drops back to normal conditions. Do 
not try to raise your test by feeding just before calving because an over- 
fattened cow usually has difficulty in calving, which is often serious and 
her flow may fall off for the entire year. 

7. EXCESSIVE CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE.— Cows shivering m 
a cold wind, standing in a draught coming through an open window or 
suffering in a cold rain as well as those annoyed by a lack of shelter from 
a hot sun, invariably show a diminished flow as well as a lower test. 

8. WHETHER FIRST OR LAST DRAWN MILK.— The hrst drawn 
milk of each teat besides being very undesirable from a sanitary stand- 
point — every farmer's boy knows that he can make a cat or dog very sick 
if not kill it, by feeding it nothing but first drawn milk, on account of the 
germs which it contains — is also very deficient in butter fat, while the 
last drawn milk is very rich in butter fat, containing as much as 15 per 
cent. It is Aery essential to see to it that each teat is milked clean, so as 
to get all of the butter fat. The custom some dairymen have of letting 
the calf finish the milking after the cow has been half finished is excel- 
lent, from the calf's point of view, but it is rather hard on the butter fat 
test, as the calf gets about two-thirds of the butter fat by this process. 
It is better to let the calf have the fore milk. It is good dairy practice, 
however, to feed the milk while still warm to the calves and not let them 
suck at all, thereby avoiding any udder trouble caused by the calf, which 
often treats its mother very roughly. 

9. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE COW.— The physical condition 
of a cow, affected as it is by her external surroundings, has a marked 



tendency to limit the production of both milk and butter fat. The gen- 
eral health of a cow must bo maintained if the maximum amount of 
butter fat is desired. 

10 SEXUAL EXCITEMENT.— When a cow is in heat her butter fat 
varies, sometimes rising and sometimes falling. Much depends on how 
she is treated during this period. 

11 R\RSH TREATMENT BY MILKER.— Any rough treatment; such 
as striking with a whip, kicking or even the use of loud, harsh, language 
has a tendency to cause a cow to become nervous and results m a de- 
creased flow of milk as well as a diminished butter fat test. 

12. CHASLNG BY DOGS AND CHILDREN.— It probably saves a great 
deal of labor to go for the cows with the aid of a dog or send the chil- 
dren after them, but the nervous excitement through fear of the dogs 
and unthinking children who are apt to force the cows to run, does not 
tend to a maximum production of milk or butter fat. Children should be 
instructed and dogs prohibited from driving cows. 

13 ANNOYANCE BY THE BULL.— The attentions of an over ambitious 
bull are annoving and fretful to the general peaceful disposition of a cow 
whose maximum capacity of both milk and butter fat are lessened by 
his continual attentions. 

14. GR00!VI1NG WITH BRUSH AND COMB— No good horseman would 
think of letting his horses go ungroomed because he knows the value of 
careful combing and brushing, both to the appearance and the endurance 
of his horses. Grooming a cow starts up a healthy circulation of the 
blood in the skin and experiments have shown that this practice helps to 
increase the vigor of the animal and in turn affects the butter fat pro- 
duction. It is one of the important practices which every good dairyman 
follows without fail. 

15. SHEDDING OF H.AIR.— Hens during their molting period cease 
laying eggs entirely, because their surplus energy goes into making a 
new set of feathers, and cows, because some of their energy goes into 
the building of a new coat, give a slightly diminished quantity of milk 
and butter fat during the shedding period. 

16. POOR VENTILATION AND LIGHT.— The cow is a factory pro- 
ducing milk. If this factory is compelled to breathe impure air and work 
in a dark, damp, filthy stake, you cannot expect the maximum flow of 
milk or butter fat. A sluggish cow is the result of such conditions and 
she cannot do her best in such a stable. 

17. AN^'OYANCE OF FLIES .AND FLEAS.— The annoyance of flies, 
fleas and lice on cows so detracts the animal that she cannot produce the 
greatest amount of milk or butter fat. She uses up too much of her 
energy trying to get rid of these pests. Grooming and spraying soon show 
their value in the milk pail. 



PART II. 

PRACTICAL MILK TESTING 

EQUIPMENT. 

a. A Small Dipper for Taking Sample. 

b. Pint Fruit Jar which can be Closed Tightly. 

c. Milk Pipette (capacity 17.6 c.c.) 

d. Babcnck Milk Test Bottles. (Eight per cent.) 

e. Acid Measure (capacity 17.5 c.c.) 

f. A Centrifugal Machine to Whirl the Bottles. 

g. A Water Bath to Maintain Correct Reading Temperature. 
Ii. Thermometer. A Floating Dairy Thermometer is Best, 
i. A Pair of Dividers With Sot Screw and Sharp Points. 

j. Acid Testing Hydrometer. 

INTRODUCTION.— The fact that so many letters are received daily 
inquiring about the Babcock Test for Butter Fat in Milk leads us to be- 
lieve that this important part of milk marketing is not yet fully under- 
stood. Milk testing is not a very dillicult operation, but there are abun- 
dant chances for errors. The process must be thoroughly understood, 
and the greatest care must be exercised from begnining to end; neverthe- 
less, the test is simple and easily mastered by any one who will give it 
careful attention. 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVED,— Milk is made up of fat, other 
solids and water. The fat globules being lighter, tend to rise to the sur- 
face, but on their way up, they either bring with thom small particles of 
other milk solids, or do not succeed in getting to the top at all. The first 
problem then is to get all these fat globules to the surface without bring- 
ing any other milk solids along, and the second is how to bring them all 
up quickly. 

The first of these problems is overcome by dissolving the milk solids 
with sulphuric acid which does not have any effect on the fat globules, 
thereby allowing them to rise readily. The second problem is met by 
using a machine to whirl the milk around so that the heavier solids not 
fat are thrown to the bottom of the bottle just as the mud is thrown 
against the mud guards by the automobile wheels when the car is going 
rapidly or as the governor on the threshing engine spreads out when thr' 
engine is speeded up. 

It remained for Dr. S. M. Babcock, chief chemist of the Wisconsm 
agricultural experiment station to discover and invent a practical method 
to determine the percentage of fat in milk by using these two simple 
facts. Dr. H. L. Russel, director of that experiment station considers this 
test "largely responsible for the progress in dairying and proficiency in 



n 



its use is almost synonymous with better cows, better milk and better 
farming." He further said, "The Babcock test has struck the shackles 
which bound dairy farmers to past traditions and has started them on 
their way to greater prosperity." (The Wisconsin legislature presented 
Dr. Babcock with a large gold medal in recognition of his services to the 
whole world by thi:? discovery and invention.) 

TAKING THE SAMPLE.— The accuracy of the test depends entirely 
upon the care exercised in taking a sample which truly represents the 
whole quantity of milk. Several methods are em- 
ploved to do this; flrst, by pouring from one vessel 
to another three or four times; second, agitating 
very thoroughly with a strong stirrer such as is used 
in commerciartesting. (See figure 2.) The sample 
should be lakon at once with a long-handled dipper 
which holds about an ounce of milk. (See figure 3.) 
A regular sampling tube or milk "thief" is often 
preferred to the long dipper, but in no case should 
you use an ordinary tin cup with a s'hort handle. 

COMPOSITE SAMPLES.— Commercial firms who 
buy on the butter fat test take a sample each day 
and place them in an air-tight jar (See figure 4.), 
and then test once a week instead of daily. Some 
Fig. 2 preservative such as corrosive sublimate which may 
(brass) be bought from a druggist and is exceedimjly poison- 
which" ous is used in these jars and in warm weather the 
cleaned samples are stored in a cool place. Should the 
easily sample become sour and lumps of curd become 
visible, a knife point of soda lye may be added to dissolve 
this curd. When this is done care must be taken to add 
the sulphuric acid slowly because the chemical action is as 
violent as adding water to lime when slaking it. 



SENDING SAMPLES FOR TESTING.— 

When a dairyman sends a sample away to be 
tested he must bear in mind; first, that the 
fore milk is very poor in butter fat and the 
strippings are exceedingly rich in fat, there- 
fore milking into a bottle will not be a fair 
test. Second, since the morning's milk and the night's milk 
varies in butter fat it is necessary to send a composite sam- 
ple consisting of several small samples from a number of 
both morning and night milkings. And in addition, these 
small samples must be proportional in quantity to the total 
amount of each milking; that is, if a cow gives 15 pounds of 
milk in the morning and 30 pounds at night the morning 
t be one-half as large as the evening sample. 



( ^jy^ 




Fig. 3 
Dipper for 
taking- a rep- 
resentative 
sample. 



Fig. 4 

Bottle for 

composite 

sample. It 

is easily 

and quickly 

opened, and 

it is air 

tight 

sample mus 



STEPS IN OPERATION 



MEASURING THE MILK.— The milk to be tested is measured by a 

glass pipette of which there are several kinds in use, but the most practi- 
cal for commercial work is the common pipette shown in (figure 5.) All 
pipettes are guaged to hold 17.6 cubic centimeters of milk 
which should always be at a temperature of from 60 to 70 de- 
grees, Fahrenheit. 

If the milk to be tested is a composite sample care must 
be exercised that no cream adheres to the inside of the jar. 
This can he prevented by (a) bemg careful to use clean jars 
only, (b) shaking the jar each time before a new sample is 
added and shaking again immediately afterward. Sometimes 
it is necessary to warm composite samples to a temperature of 
from 85 to 110 degrees, Fahrenheit, in order to obtain an even 
and smooth mixture of the composite sample, but it is then 
necessary to reduce the temperature to 60 or 70 degrees, Fah- 
renheit before drawing the milk into the pipette. Storage of 
composite sample in a warm place may also cause a thin layer 
of cream to stick on the sides of the jar. This must not be 
removed by a test tube brush because the cream will simply 
stick to the brusb and a low test will result. 



/ 



\ 



/76 
c.c. 



\ 



/ 



DRAWING MILK INTO PIPETTE.— After you are sure that 
you have mixed the fat evenly in the sample; place the smaller 
tips of the pipette into the milk while it is still in motion. Then 
suck the air out of the pipette by placing your lips at the upper 
end until the milk rises above the only mark on the neck. Be- 
fore the milk can fall below the mark again, place your index 
finger on the open end of the pipette. By releasing your finger 
and allowing a little air into the pipette the column of milk can 
be lowered until it is on a level with the only mark on the 
upper stem of the pipette. Hold the pipette so that this mark 
is on a level with the eye to secure accurate results. If the 
sample contained corrosive sul)lime as a preser^ing agent and 
you accidentally drew some of the milk into your mouth, be 
sure to .spit it out and wash your mouth with water, as the 
sublimate is a deadly poison evpn in small quantities. 

TRANSFERRING 5IILK TO TEST BOTTLES.— The milk is 
then transferred to the test bottles either by inserting the 
lower stem of the pipette for its full length into the neck of the 
test bottle and then releasing the finger and allowing the milk 
to drain into the bottle (See Figure 6.) while you take another 
pipette and get another sample; or the pipette may he emptied 
by inserting simply the tip into the mouth of the te.^t bottle, 
holding both slantiny as shown in (Figure T.) Again release 
your finger cautiously so that no bubbles will form and cause Fig. 5 
you to lose some of the milk. In either case, the last drop of pi^ette'^for 
milk must be blown into the test bottle before removing the J^"^ ^^^*" 



Fig. 7 
Second method of 
emptying pipette 



MIXING.— Fill the acid measure to 
the mark. (See Figure 9.) and pour the 
acid into the test bottle con- 
taining the milk, holding the 
latter in an inclined position 
so that the acid will flow down 
the sides of the bottle and 
because it is heavier than 
milk will settle under the 
milk and not drop through 
the body of it. 

The bottle should be 
revolved so that the acid 
will wash all the milk 
down the sides of the neck 
and make the test more 
accurate. This method 
will prevent charring the 
milk and spilling the acid. 
If the acid has been prop- 
erly added there will be 
twit distinct layers, the 



n.5 

c.c. 



pipette. While measuring or transferring the milk great care must be 
taken that no milk is lost as this test requires accurate 
measurements in every step. 

THE ACID 



TESTING.— The acid u^ed is oil of 
vitroil or sulphuric acid and should be 
tested by allowing a hydrometer to float 
in a cylinder of the acid. It should test 
about 1.82 or 1.83 (See Figure 8) at a 
temperature of 60 degrees Fahr. This 
acid is clear and of an oily nature and 
must not be siiilletl on the hands or 
clothing, as it will eat holes in either. 
If any accident should happen, the acid 
must be washed off immediately with 
ammonia water. The acid must be kept 
in a glass bottle with a glass stopper, 
because it will eat the cork and become 
discolored. A cork stopper also allows 
a certain amount of moist air in the bot- 
tle and this has a tendency to weaken 
the acid. Do not pour the acid in any- 
thing made of metal, such as a lead sink 
drain or a tin cup. It will eat holes in 
them. 




/\ 



/7.6 
c.c. 



w 




The acid 
niea.sure. Use 
tested glass- 



Fig. 6 

Commercial 
method of 
emptying pip- 
ette. ^Vhile 
one is draining 
the tester goes 
to work on 
another to 
save time 



9 




acid being below the milk without any partially mixed acid and milk 
between. 

By shaking the bottle with a gentle rotary motion as shown in (Figure 
10,) the acid and the milk will gradually mix and turn to a coffee brown 
color at the same time getting quite hot. This is advantageous, since the 
fat must be in a liquid condition to perform 
the test properly. It is advisable to con- 
tinue this mixing for at least half a minute, 
so as to be sure' that all of the milk solids 
have been dissolved except the fat which 
will not dissolve. Be sure to point the neck 
of the bottle away from the face so that no 
acid will be thrown into the eyes because 
I lie union nf the acid and the milk is often 
violiMit enough to cause sputtering, just as 
water added to quicklime becomes hot and Motion to be u.sed to mix 

finally boils and sputters. ^nh ami acid in test 

^ . , ., , bottles, but if held m . 

In making the test commercially it is this manner the acid may 

best to put the milk in the test bottles, then '"""'''" °'' ^^^ ^^"^■ 

add the acid to all before any are shaken, otherwise the lirst one will get 
cold before the last one is finished, but do not let Ihom stand too long. 

SEPARATING THE FAT FROM THE OTHER SOIJDS.— All that is 
now needed is to separate the fat so that it can be measured. This is 
accomplished by whirling very rapidly in a centrifugal machine. The 
test bottles are now arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the center so 
that the machine will be properly balanced when rotated. An uneven 
number or when bottles are not arranged so as to balance each other will 
cause trouble and should not be attempted. Close the machine and whirl 
at the proper speed for five minutes. The proper speed depends on the 
diameter of the tester and is as follows: 

Diameter of Tester. Revolutions per minute. 

20 inches 725 — 775 

18 '• 775—825 

16 '• 825—875 

14 " 875—925 

12 " 925-1000 

Stop the machine and add soft water at a temperature of 170 degrees, 
Fahr. until the fat rises to the neck of the bottle. This can be done with 
a pipette, with a regular dipper having a slender spout, or with the 
device for that purpose attached to the large steam testers used by com- 
mercial factories. Be sure to use soft water because hard water may 
cause bubbles in the fat column. Keep machine closed while whirling. 

Rewhirl at the proper speed as indicated above for two minutes and 
add soft water at a temperature of 170 degrees, Fahr. until the fat col- 
umn rises to the 6 or 7 per cent. mark. Be sure that the bottom of the 
fat column is above the zero mark. Rewhirl as before for one minute. 
(See Figure 11.) 

10 



TEMPERING THE TESTS.— Nearly all substances expand when heated 
and contract when cooled. Just as a wagon wheel tire is heated to make 
it larger before it is put on the wheel, so that when it cools it will con- 
tract and thus bind the spokes tightly, so this fat column gets longer or 
shorter when changes in temperature 
occur. It is, therefore, necessary to 
keep these tests at an even tempera- 
ture of 120 to 140 degrees, Fahr. This 
is done by placing them in a water 
bath (See Figure 12) of that tem- 
perature being sure to have the water 

above the fat col- 

vnun but do not 

let any ovei'llow 

into the bottles. 

READING THE 
PERCENTAGES. — 

Reailins' the re- 
sults is accom- 
plished with the 
aid of a pair of 
dividers (See Fig. 
13) which have an 
adjustable 

set screw so as to hold them rigid. Holding the bottle 
on a level with the eye, place one point of the dividers 
at the lower end of the fat column and adjust the 
other point to the top of the fat column with the set 
screw. (See Figure 15.) Lower the dividers until 
one point is at zero; the upper point will indicate the 
per cent of fat. (See Figures 16 and 17.) 




11 




Fig-. 12 ■ . 

Water bath. Te.st bottle.s are placed 
in a water bath at a temperature of 
120 to 140 degrees Fahr. The water 
should reach the top of the fat column 
in the test bottle.?. Adapted from In- 
diana Circular No. 42 



COMMON CAUSES OF LOW TESTS 



Fig 
The 8 per cent, 
milk test bottle 
conforms to the 
requirements of buttei 
the U. S. Bureau . . - i 

of Standards. It IS a total 
graduated to y^rjien 



1. Neglect to stir the milk in the cans while 
standing in the 
milk house. 

Good dairymen 
make a practice 
of stirring their 
milk occasional- 
ly because they 
know that a 
hard, leathery 
skin will form 
on the top. 
is almost 
fat 



it is 



tenths 



yon 



This 
pure 

and 
loss. 

re- 




Fig. 13 
Caliper with .set .screw. This will avoid 
any pos.sil^ility of error when reading 
the test by liolding the arms of the 
caliper rigid. 



11 



member that there ai'e but 3 pounds or even le«s of butter fat to each 
85-pound can of milk you will realize how important it is to save all the 
fat possil)le. (See Figure 14.) Butter fat whidh has been hardened by 
exposure to light or air will stick to the can and be lost. Save the butter- 
fat. It pays. Shaking the can a little does not stir the milk. Use a 
stirrer vigorously but do not churn it into butter. 



COMPOSITION OF MILK. 

40 QUART CAN. 85 LBS. 




fe«--#r-^ —^^ 


tefEl 

■ 74LBS.8^0Z.W 


f -Lr. -— — 3 





Fig. 14 
MILK CAN 



THE ABOVE FIGURES ARE APPROXIMATELY CORRECT FOR MILK TEST- 
ING 3.6 PER CENT. ANY DINGES OR DENTS IN THE CAN WILL CHANGE 
THEM MATERIALLY. 



12 




Fig. If, 

The dividers in this first position for 
reading the test. Dividers should 
have a set screw. 



2. The habit wliich niaii>^ women 
have of going to the milk house and 
(letting a bowl of cream from the top 
also materially lessens the three 
pounds whic'li originally belongs in 
the can. Do not expect as good a test 

f this practice is continued. 

3. Poor testing cows in the herd 
One poor testing cow in your herd 

may be eating up all the profits ol 
the remainder. (For other causes 
.spp Part I. of this booklet.) 

COMMON CAUSES OF POOR TESTS 

1. Incomplete mixing of acid and 
milk. Shake thoroughly. 

2. Too much acid results in a dark 
fat column containing charred matter 
and specks. Be accurate. 

3. Too little acid will leave some 
undissolved curd in the bottom of the 
fat column. 

4. Too strong acid will leave a dark column. Test the acid. 

5. Too weak acid will result in a pale yellow or cloudy fat column with 
some undissolved curd. Use the hydrometer. 

6. If the temperature of either the milk, the acid or both is too higlt. 

the fat column will be dark and con- 
tain charred matter. 

7. Running the 
tester at low speed 
results in a low 
test. This is a 
common error 
when hand testers 
are used. 

8. Use of hard 
water causes the 
top of the fat col- 3 «ead from 
umn to be ob- . ^ /^ to b 
scured with white 

foam or gas bub- [iz^ q 

bles. 

9. Careless read- 
ing of fat colmun 
is inexcusable. Fig. i? 

_, .... Read from lowest 

10. Spilling some point B. to hlgh- 

of the milk while «^^* p°*"* ^ 
mixing or transferring results in a low test. Carelessness is inexcusable. 




i 



Fig. 16 
The dividers in the second position. 
Dividers should have a set screw. 
Use sharp pointed dividers. 



IS 



NOTE:— The fat column should be straw yellow in color. If the fat 

column contains any specks or particles whether they are black or white, 
it shows that something is wrong and the test must bf^ performed again. 

SPECIAL PRECAUTION 

Freshly drawn nnlk should not be tested because it contains many 
gases which disappear after standing one or two hours. 

Always add acid to water, never water to the acid. 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

V. S. GOVERNMENT WHITEWASH 

Slake half a bushel of quicklime with warm water, keeping it cov- 
ered to keep in the steam. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or 
strainer. Add a peck of salt previously well dissolved in warm water, 
three pounds of ground rice boiled to a thin paste and stir in boiling hot 
a half-pound of Spanish whiting (plaster of Paris) and a pound of glue 
which has been previously dissolved over a slow fire, and add 5 gallons 
of hot water to the mixture. Stir well and let it stand for a few days. 
Protect from dirt. One pint of the mixture will cover a square yard if 
properly applied with small brushes. There is nothing that compares 
with it for outside or inside work and it retains its brilliancy for many 
years. 

FLIES ANNOY THE COWS AND REDUCE THE FLOW 

AND THE TEST. 

TO KILL FLIES AROUT THE BARN 

Spray the floor with 

1. White arsenic (1 ounce.) 

2. Molasses (1 pint.) 

3. Water (2 gallons.) 

(Use with care as it is very poisonous.) 

FLY SPRAY FOR COWS 

Thoroughly mix equal parts of 

i. Crude carbolic acid. 

2. Oil of tar. 

3. Cotton-seed oil. 

Apply with a pump and repeat as often as necessary. Be sure to mix 
thoroughly before each application. 

n 



FACTORS WHICH CAUSE MH.K TO SOIR MORK QUICKLY 

1. Failure to cool to 50 degrees quickly and immediately after milking. 

2. Failure to stir occasionally during the time it is being cooled. 

3. Failure to keep milk at a low temperature. 

4. Failure to protect milk from air, dust and flies. 

5. Failure to keep utensils clean. 

6. Failure to discard a little of the fore milk. 

7. Failure to shield the milk on the wagon with a blanket or canvas 

cover while being hauled to the station. 

8. Mixing warm milk widi cooled milk. Never mix mnniiiifl and night 

milk until both are cooled. 

DAIRY FACTS WORTH KNOWING 

1. A pound of butter fat yields one and one-sixth pounds of butter 
because butter contains salt and water in addition to the fat. 

2. To find the yield of cheese per hundred pounds of milk multiply the 
butter fat test by 2.6. (This is only approximately correct.) 

3. A 40-quart can when new and without dents will hold 86 pounds of 
milk. On account of dents and dinges especially on the sides, where they 
may be unnoticed, a iO-quart can will hold 85 instead of 86 pounds. 

4. Transportation companies consider a can of milk as weighing HO 
pounds, allowing 85 pounds for the milk and 25 pounds for the can. 

5. There are a little over 46 quarts in IOC pounds of milk. 

6. Milk may be kept cool in a thermos bottle but never keep heated 
milk in such a bottle because harmful germs develop which cannot be 
detected by the taste. 

7. A mixture of one-half sawdust and one-half cement will make a 
good floor for a cow stable which is warmer than ordinary cement and 
not so slippery. Do not mix saw-dust with cement for the gutter, because 
tiie corners will be too brittle and cause the edges to break off. This 
combination has the advantage of being cheappr than cork bricks or 
wooden blocks. 

DEHORNING CALVES 

As soon as the small horn beneath the skin can be located clip the 
hair from the spot and scratch the skin over the horn with a sharp 
pocket knife until the blood appears. Take a stick of caustic which can 
be bought from a druggist, wrap it in paper because it will burn your 
hands and rub the end on the budding horn until a sore spot about the 
size of a dime is produced. It may be necessary to moisten the end of the 
. stick of caustic with a drop or two of water. Do not turn the calf out 
into the rain for the first day because the caustic may run down the 
calf's face and eat the hair or get into its eyes. Caustic soda or potash 
will answer but in either case keep the stick in a glass-stoppered bottle, 
because it absorbs water from the air and melts. 



THEORY OF HERD IMPROVEMENT 

There are two ways of securing a herd of cattle which are large 
producers and high testers; first, buy them direct from a breeder or start 
with your best grade cows and by using a thoroughbred sire gradually 
improve the ofifspring. The first method is expensive while the second 
method requires years of patience. 




EXPLANATION OF BREEDING CHART. 

The process of breeding may be explained as follows: Let A and A 
represent the pure-bred sires whose ancestors are high testers and large 
producers. B is your grade cow. By breeding A with B we shall get C, 
which we trust will be a heifer. C is half gi'ade and half pure bred. 
Then breed A with G and we have D which is one-fourth grade and three- 
iourths pure. You now use a new sire of the same type as the former 
but not related to him except very distantly. Breed A with D and you 
have E which is one-eighth grade and seven-eighths pure. The next 
step will produce F, which is fifteen-sixteenths pure. You now have a 
cow which is almost pure bred and for all practical purposes is a very 
desirable animal. 



16 



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